National Identity and Globalisation

National identity — the sense of belonging to a nation — is one of the most powerful and contested forms of collective identity. Sociologists examine how national identities are constructed, how they are sustained through symbols, narratives, and institutions, and how they are being transformed by globalisation, migration, and multiculturalism. This lesson draws on the work of Benedict Anderson, Stuart Hall, and others to explore these questions.

Key Definition: National identity refers to an individual's sense of belonging to a nation — a shared feeling of connection based on common culture, history, language, territory, or political institutions.

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Anderson — Imagined Communities (1983)

The Theory

Benedict Anderson (1983), in Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism, produced one of the most influential accounts of national identity. Anderson argued that the nation is an "imagined community":